More than 1 lakh foreign tourists visited India on e-tourist visas in March

E-tourist visas were availed of by 1.15 lakh foreign tourists visiting India in March 2016, up from 25,800 in March 2015.

Foreign tourist arrivals to India on e-tourist visas grew three-fold in March, says tourism ministry. Picture: Foreign tourists take a picture of a sea turtle as it returns to the sea after nesting at the Rishikulya beach, near Ganjam, 180 km (112 miles) south of Indian southeastern city of Bhubaneswar, Feb.18, 2006.Reuters file

More and more foreign tourists are using e-tourist visas to visit India. In March this year, 1,15,677 tourists availed of the facility, marking a four-fold increase from 25,851 in March 2015, according to tourism ministry data released Tuesday.

Tourists from the U.K. used the facility most, followed by the U.S., the Russian Federation, France and Germany; almost 60 percent of the e-tourist visas were availed of by tourists from these countries, with the U.K. having the maximum share of 27.74 percent.

In calendar year 2015, 445,300 foreign tourists visited India on e-tourist visas, as against 39,046 in 2014. Of the 445,300 visitors, 49,626 foreign tourists visited Goa on such visas, the Goan tourism ministry had said last month.

Foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) to India rose 11.3 percent in February this year to 8.47 lakh from 7.61 lakh visitors in February 2015, while foreign exchange earnings (FEEs) rose 6.33 percent to $1.99 billion from $1.87 billion in February 2015.